Life-saving mattress.



A. BINNIE.

LIF E SAVING MATTRESS. APPLICAHON F ILED .IULYZI. 1916.

Patented J me 25, 1918. 4

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Latc es. I

i .l A Specification .of LettersBatenta P te ted J ne 25, emits.

Application fiIedJuIy 2i, 1916. serial no. 110,554.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER BINNIE, a citizen of the Dominion of New Zealand, and residing at New Plymouth, in the Provincial District of Taranaki, in the Dominion of New Zealand, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Life-Saw ing Mattresses, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to mattresses and provides a mattress which will float in water with considerable buoyancy and can be used for saving life at sea or elsewhere.

The invention consists in making the mattress with a covering and inside the covering I provide a rectangular frame work of light wood. The space inside the frame work is filled with kapok or other buoyant material. Rings are provided on the sides and ends of the mattress so that two or more mattresses may be joined together when used for life saving .purposes.

For convenience of introduction or removal, the frame of the mattress may be made in two parts hinged together at the center of the mattress.

The two parts will thus fold together in a convenient form for moving from one place to another. Alight paddle or paddles are attached to the mattress.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, which will now be referred to for the purpose of a detailed description. v

Figure 1, is a side elevation, and

Fig. 2, is an inverted plan of the mattress.

Fig. 3, is a longitudinal sectional elevation on line 3-3, Fig. 2.

Fig. 4, is plan of the frame work,

Fig. 5, is a side elevation of the mattress folded up,

Fig. 6, is a cross section on line 6-6, Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation showing a modification.

The cover 1 of ticking or the like is stufied with kapok or other similar soft and buoyant material which will float in water. A light frame work of light wood is provided in the interior of the cover, the frame work being made in two parts 3 and 4: joined together by hinges 5. By making the frame work in two parts, the same can be readily withdrawn from or inserted in the cover 1.

The cover is made in two compartments meeting end to end at 6 to allow the mattress to be folded up by means of the hinges 5. Rings 7 are provided on the sides and ends of the frame work, so that two or more mattresses may be joined together to form a large raft when used for life saving purposes. A cord or cords 8 formed into loops are attached to the rings 7 to enable a person in the water to obtain a hold and thus keep afloat until he can pull himself or be pulled by another person on the mattress. A grip or pocket 9 holds a paddle which can be withdrawn for propelling the mattress in the water.

The mattress is used in a cabin in its open position as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, and when it is desired to remove the mattress from a cabin, the same is folded up as shown in Fig. 5, in which form it is sulficiently compact for carrying out of a cabin to the deck of the vessel.

In the modification shown in Fig. 7, the parts 3 and v4 of the frame work are not joined together by hinges 5, but the cover 1 is continuous at the top and is united to the bottom of the cover by a transverse line of stitching 10, which forms a joint or hinge at which the two compartments can be folded up. In its open position the compartments of the mattress are joined together by straps 11, as shown in Fig. 7 the position of the straps being further shown indicated by dotted lines in Fig. at.

What I do claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of United States is 1. A combined life preserver and mattress comprising two frames, each of which consists of an end bar and two side bars only, the free ends of the side bars of one frame being hingedly connected to the free ends of the side bars of the other frame, a buoyant pad carried by each of said frames, and a cover inclosing said frames and pads.

2. A combined life preserver and mattress comprising two frames, each of which consists of an end bar and two side bars only, the free ends of the side bars of one frame being hingedly connected to the free ends of the side bars of the other frame, a buoyant pad carried by each of said frames, a cover inclosing said frames and pads, and rings secured to the frames for attaching grasping means thereto.

3. A life-saving mattress comprising a In testimony whereof I have signed my plurality-of compartments hinged together name to this specification in the presence of and each consisting of an independent solid two Witnesses. framework, a buoyant material and a cover ALEXANDER BINNIE.

5 inclosing said framework and buoyant ma- Witnesses:

terial, and means for holding the compart- ERNEST SMITH BALDWIN, ments in their open or unfolded position. I EDNA JOAN COLLEY.

Copies of this patent" may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

